For over 50 years, automated machines have been used to apply labels onto containers, such as bottles, cans or jars. Typically these machines utilize cold glue or hot melt adhesives which are applied by a roller onto a pad prior to pickup and then transfer of a label onto another pad or drum which applies it to a container. Conventional automated labeling machines include those manufactured by Krones AG in Germany or Krones, Inc. in Franklin Wis. (Krones AG and Krones, Inc., being referred to herein as “Krones”). Other adhesives that have been used on such labeling machines include UV curable adhesives, which operate and are less tacky than cold glue or hot melt adhesives, until UV light is applied to the adhesive label. Although these adhesives are useful for their intended purpose, it has been found that applying tacky liquid adhesives prior to pickup of labels and throughout the entire label application process is undesirable as the liquid adhesives fall onto various parts of the machine creating a mess and can require excessive maintenance including machine downtimes to cleanup the machine.
In addition to cold and hot glue applied labeling methods, preprinted pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) labels are also used. These labels utilize a release liner to protect the preprinted label face from interacting with the tacky PSA. The use of traditional PSA labels results in several million pounds of waste per year in the bottling industry. PSAs also lack removability properties desirable in downstream recycling and bottle reusing facilities.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,306,242; 6,517,664; and 6,663,749 to Dronzek describe an additional example of a labeling system for applying labels to plastic and glass bottles. The labeling system includes applying a layer of a hydrophilic solid material to a polymeric label to form a hydrophilic layer on said polymeric label; applying water, water containing a cross-linking agent or a water based adhesive over said hydrophilic layer to form a fastenable polymeric label; fastening said fastenable polymeric label to a glass, plastic or metal container or surface; and curing said polymeric label on said glass, plastic or metal surface or container. In this system the fluid contains functional chemical components in the form of solids suspended, dispersed, or dissolved in a liquid carrier.